Celebrate the Power of Literature and Read a Banned Book

Banned Books Week is Sept. 30 – Oct. 6

Banned Books Week is an annual observance from the American Library Association’s (ALA) Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF) that celebrates the First Amendment right of the freedom to read.

This year marks the 30th anniversary of Banned Books Week and thousands will celebrate by participating in special events and exhibits to learn about the power of literature and the harms of censorship.

UC Libraries will bring attention to Banned Books with a daily feature of one of the Top-10 Most Frequently Challenged Books of 2011 . Perhaps one of your favorites will be on the list.

At number 10, a favorite of many, is To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. Reasons for challenges: offensive language; racism.

For more on Banned Books Week, visit ALA’s website at http://www.ala.org/advocacy/banned/bannedbooksweek.